Bringing the best to play ball

Academy tournament featuring top national, local high school squads

Published 6:30 am, Thursday, December 23, 2004

Over the past three years, the Academy National Invitational basketball tournament has not-so-quietly become one of the premiere high school events in the country.

This year, it simply could be the nation's best.

"The Slam Dunk on the Beach tournament is no longer a (national) tournament," said Aldine Independent School District athletic director Daryl Wade. "Now, this tournament is the one everybody looks to. We are just fortunate to have such an event (in our area)."

The Academy National Invitational will be held on Tuesday to Thursday at the M.O. Campbell Educational Center. It will feature eight of the top teams from around the country — including Houston's own Westbury Christian — fighting for the national crown, and seven of the top teams from the Houston area fighting for the Texas title.

South Garland also will be entered in the eight-team Texas field.

"This is a wonderful tournament," said Aldine ISD public relations spokesman Mike Keeney. "We are very proud to host it. We have served as the host arena all four years.

On Tuesday, the national bracket will feature Arlington Country Day of Florida vs. Christ the King of New York at 11 a.m.; Montverde Academy, Fla. vs. Westbury Christian at 2 p.m., DeMatha Catholic from Maryland vs. Reserve Christian from Louisiana at 5 p.m. and Westchester, California vs. Southern Lab, La. at 8 p.m.

"I grew up hearing about DeMatha. There are so many NBA players to come out of there," Wade said. "Westchester out of Los Angeles is No. 1 in the country right now. They are very well known. Country Day is in the top five in the nation right now. Christ the King in New York is well known. And Southern Lab can run down that floor and beat anybody.

"Then, we have a local team, Westbury Christian. It will be interesting to see how they do," he added.

To anyone who would question why the tournament is being held in Houston, one need only look to last year's event. Houston ISD's Milby won the national division, then went on to an undefeated season and a Class 5A state championship. Juwan McClellan, who is now starting for the University of Arizona, was part of the 2003-04 Milby club.

Hightower, which featured Nic Wise, also competed in the national division a year ago. It lost to Milby in the first round of the tournament, then came back to reach the consolation championship.

"Carmelo Anthony (who was the NBA's co-Rookie of the Year in 2004) was here the first year," Wade said. "Kendrick Perkins (now with the Celtics) and Trevor Ariza (with the Knicks) also played in this event. Plus, we have had quite a few kids go on to play in big colleges."

Six of the seven Texas teams are ranked among the top 10 clubs in the Houston area.

Kingwood, which is ranked No. 1 in the Houston area, entered last weekend's games a perfect 14-0. The Mustangs feature one of the top sophomores in the country in Mike Singletary. They also have junior Wise, who transferred from Hightower, at point guard. He has verbally committed to Arizona.

"Kingwood might be the favorite, but it is a very tough field this year," Wade said. "I would take Aldine and Ft. Bend Marshall (in the finals) in a minute. Aldine is awfully talented. In a one-game situation, you always have a shot in basketball."

The championship game of the Texas division will be played at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 30, while the finals of the national division will be held at 8 p.m. the same day.

"For me, I am excited about our kids getting an opportunity to play in a tournament like this," Wade said. "They will get a lot of exposure. Every NBA team will be represented and most all the Division I-type schools are here.

"Texas is known as a football state," he added. "But we have some great, great basketball here. We have a lot of kids from this area go play (Division I basketball). I am sure we will see a lot of those type kids in this tournament."

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"We are so fortunate to have this type of facility in our district so we can host these types of events," Wade said. "It is a great venue. It should be a great tournament."

Tickets are $10 per day for all eight games. Tickets can be purchased at any Academy Sports and Outdoors store. For more information, visit the Web site www.visionsports.com.